Cape Town pushes out ‘Day Zero’ to July 9 after residents and business help save water

THE residents of Cape Town have successfully pushed out ‘Day Zero’, the date when the city will have to turn off its taps due to drought. However, they are being told they need to do more.

AP

News Corp Australia NetworkFebruary 21, 20181:47am

A man collects drinking water from taps that are fed by a spring in Newlands in Cape Town. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

THE South African city of Cape Town has made more progress in putting off “Day Zero,” the date when it might have to turn off most of its water taps because of a drought.

The opposition party that runs the city of four million people says increased water saving by residents means that “Day Zero” has been pushed from June 4 to July 9.

“Day Zero, the day we may have to start queuing for water, has now moved to 9 July due to a weekly drop in dam levels of only 0.5 per cent (as compared to a 1.9 per cent drop in 2014),” Deputy Mayor Ian Neilson said in a statement.

It added that provincial farmers who released a large amount of water from private dams to help the city also contributed.

The Democratic Alliance party says residents must still use fewer than 50 litres per person daily to avoid the tap closure.

Residents queue to fill containers with water from a source of natural spring water in Cape Town, South Africa. picture: APSource:AP

While water consumption averaged 523 megalitres per day (MPD) saved more than half the amount of water used in 2014, it was still was way off the target of 450 megalitres a day.

“We anticipate that Day Zero could move back into June again. unless we are able to meet the 450 MLD collective water usage target. Therefore, it is imperative that we reach this target to make it through to the winter rains,” said Mr Neilson.